San Jose In-Home Care

When it comes to care options, many seniors elect in-home care over facility-based care providers. One reason this choice may work out best is because of the cost. In 2015, the median cost seniors paid daily for in-home care in the San Jose area was $163, which is very similar to the median for assisted living at $132 per day. However, the cost is well below the $259 daily price tag on private nursing home care. Seniors who want to stay in a familiar home environment consider in-home care a favorable option.

In this article, we will summarize details on in-home care available in the San Jose area, user reviews on some of the care providers, and tips to screen and choose the best in-home provider for your situation.

In-home care options and reviews in San Jose

There are over 50 in-home care agencies in the San Jose area who provide two main types of services, personal care, and home health care. The state requires all providers to obtain a certification and have a business listing with the Department of Aging and Disability Services Home and Community Support Services Agencies program.

In order to understand the needs of San Jose seniors, and experiences with in-home care providers in the San Jose area, we explored the reviews posted on SeniorAdvisor.com. Some highlights included:

Providing responsible and flexible staff who are easy to work with. “The administrative staff are very communicative and respond quickly when you contact them, and the aides have all been on time and reliable,” wrote a user of Familiar Surroundings Home Care.

Having adequate staffing levels to provide consistent care. “If our usual person isn't able to come they'll contact us to see if we'd like a replacement for that day, or once she had to leave during her shift due to illness and they were ready to have someone sent over to cover for the rest of it,” wrote the loved one of a Senior Helpers patient.

Many other reviews also identified providers with staff available on short notice, allowing you to call for same-day assistance when needs arise.

Customized schedules for the best possible care

Agencies will work with you to customize the care schedule to ensure it meets your needs. Options might include things like respite care for full-time caregivers when they need to take a vacation or have some personal time off. Many seniors are looking for part-time care in the home such as a caregiver to come in during the day to help prepare lunch, or assist with personal grooming or housekeeping tasks. Services that provide full-time care are an excellent fit for a situation where a family caregiver is working and out of the house most of the day, or out of the area and is not close enough to provide care.

How in-home care fits in the care plan

The overall care plan can be made up of many pieces, allowing you have quick access to many options and resources to give your loved one the best possible care. Commonly used care options are:

Hiring a caregiver directly and bypassing using agency services. By hiring directly, you can screen and select the individual who will care for your loved one, and this enables you to pay a family member or friend the going rate to provide care. Know that in these cases it can sometimes be time-consuming to find the perfect fit, and by hiring directly you will need to manage the taxes, payroll, and insurance for the employee.

Combining agency care with direct care is a popular alternative, and allows you the upside of hiring and compensating a family member as a caregiver while also giving you the option of using agency care when they need time away from their responsibilities.

Caregivers can also take advantage of area concierge and online shopping services to save time. Providers can do things like deliver groceries, items for the house or walk your pets to free up time and take things off your to-do list.

Financing options for in-home care

Medicare may provide assistance for qualifying seniors who meet their criteria. In order to qualify, seniors need a doctor to certify they need occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, or regular access to skilled nursing care, and that they are homebound. The provider that you select must also be Medicare certified.

Those looking to pay for care directly could look to a reverse mortgage for funds, or access the benefits of a long-term care insurance policy.

Seniors who have a qualifying low-income can apply for California Medicaid, and veterans of war and their widows may qualify for assistance from the VA Aid & Attendance pension.